The Sharpest Lives
by Casual Affair
Summary: "I think it has something to do with that rubbish Trelawney spouted." "How so?" "Well, Harry hooks up with this December, and I get told that I'm gonna die in December." "Oh." HrG.


**AN: This is an angst not very angsty one-shot! By angst, I mean topics such as character death.  
Note that I can't do romance, but this _is_ a loosely romance based fic. Does that make any sense? I hope so. Also, all dates are accurate, if calendars actually tell the truth.**

* * *

If one were to stand outside the apartment belonging to the two witches under names 'Granger' and 'Weasley' on the morning of Saturday the second, in the year two thousand, one would probably report them for disruption. Yes, the noise really _was_ that atrocious.

But, however, if one were to stand outside the same apartment, now under the one name, 'Granger', when the clock struck midnight leading into Friday the fifteenth that same year, it would be a completely different story - the sobbing was almost as loud as the yelling that had occurred over the past week and few days.

* * *

"Hermione, I'm not fucking lying!"

"You- you're not even twenty years old!"

"That means nothing! There are things such as still births, and some babies are born with diseases or conditions! So what that I'm nineteen? That's longer than loads of people, Hermione!"

"Yeah, but.."

She couldn't think of anything else to say; Hermione was at a dead end with the truth closing in from all sides. She'd already tried the 'but magic' argument, with fiercely defended answers from her partner, so what else was there to say?

"I've got about two weeks left, Hermione! _Get over yourself_!"

Hermione squeaked, for some obscure reason.

Suddenly, Ginny's mood changed. Rapidly.

She sat down on the sofa that Hermione was lying on, surprisingly not on her side or front, and then shuffled up so that Hermione's lower stomach acted as a pillow.

"Do you wanna know what my parents told me when I was younger, Hermione?" Ginny asked quietly.

"What did they tell you?"

"I'm assuming they'd refined it from my brothers, 'cause it sounded staged each time."

"Refined what?"

"Be patient, Hermione," Ginny laughed lightly. "So, you know the Summer before my first year?"

"Not really? I only really saw you in Diagon Alley."

"Well, to me, it was like my parents had predicted that the whole diary thing was gonna happen.. But then in the Department of Mysteries when we fought those Death Eaters, I noticed that Ron was acting like me; like what our parents had encouraged. They also talked to me before my Second and Third years, but I'm still unsure whether or not if that was because of Tom Riddle possessing me. Maybe I should just ask one of 'em."

Hermione smiled nervously and ran her hand lightly through Ginny's hair once. "So.. What _did_ they tell you?"

"Well, they did it individually, so it wouldn't seem overpowering to me, I guess. Mum went on about how not to fear death because we were born to die, and Dad taught me about Duel and Battle strategies. Had hunches about Voldemort or something, I suppose. I guess being so young, and weak after my First Year, I was easily influenced. But thinking about it, Tom made me stronger than they ever could in the long run, right? Tom also helped me to help Harry a little in my Fourth Year."

"So, you're trying to say that you want me to get over your death because you already have?" Hermione whispered gingerly.

"Basically, yeah. Think you can do that, 'Mione?" Ginny smiled up towards the brunette. "I don't really want to die mid-argument.."

"I just wish it wasn't so close to Christmas, Gin," Hermione admitted quietly.

"Hermione?"

"Yes, Ginny?"

They were speaking in such hushed tones that it was impossible to believe that the pair had been yelling at each other mere minutes prior.

"Wou- would it help if I got the Ministry to make you forget me? As my 'War Hero' favour that they offered loads of us?"

"No! I mean, yeah, it _would_ help, but.. Why would I want to forget you, Gin?"

"To.. help."

"I'd rather remember you and be upset than forget you and be happy, Ginny.."

"Mm.."

Ginny wriggled a bit, trying to comfortable. "Night, 'Mione."

"It's five in the afternoon, Gin, but.. night.."

* * *

Molly was sobbing and Arthur just looked.. blank.

"I- Mum, someone once told me that.. Death is not a bad thing because we were born to die..." Ginny said quietly to her mother, letting her words and evidence of medical forms sink in.

Molly smiled faintly, and her choking ceased. She still sniffled into the silence, breaking it.

"How long?"

"The papers said a month, but they're from three weeks ago. A week and a bit."

"You always were one for drama, Gin. Dying just before Christmas, well.." came a solemn voice from behind Ginny.

"You always were one for interrupting me, George," Ginny said evenly without turning around, but her lips twitched into an acceptable smile.

"So, er, do you wanna play some Quidditch? Shooting practice or something? You _can_ still play Quidditch, right?"

"Sure, Georgie," Ginny grinned, standing up quietly and smiling at her parents. "The Medi-Wizard says that I'm okay to play Quidditch, Mum. You can read the file if you want."

* * *

They managed to get seven goals in between them, out of what must have been at least a hundred attempts. They were both distracted, for rather obvious reasons.

When the two reentered the living room, they saw Ron and Harry on one sofa, Arthur and Molly in the other, Fleur in a single armchair, and the recently born Victoire asleep in Fleur's arms.

"Ginny!" Ron jumped up, quite literally, and ran over to his only sister, hugging her tightly for what must have been at least two minutes. He'd cried for all of those two minutes, dampening her hair. It looked as dark as Harry's, honestly.

"Hey, do I not get a greeting, Wonnie-kins?" George smirked, "After all, I've not seen you for, what, four months? You saw Ginny last just five weeks ago."

Ron reluctantly let Ginny go, who was then squashed by Harry. She vaguely remembered Ron and George talking about something, and then Harry releasing his grip on her. That was when... Wait, what had happened?

* * *

"J'eeny, do you have any idea why you fainted?"

"What? Oh, Phl- _Fleur_, I, er, symptoms," Ginny managed to spew out - _It's not spew! It's S.P.E.W!_ she remembered.

"Where's, er, Victoire?" Ginny tried to be civil, noting how the awkward silence had settled and made itself at home.

"Asleep. She starting sleeping as soon as you'd fainted. Influential, huh?" Harry said quietly from across the room. _Wasn't there a rule about how only females were allowed in my bedroom? What the hell is Harry doing here?_

"I thought that somehow, Gin, I'd killed you. Curse of King Midas, or something," Harry admitted.

"I kept on z'aying that your pulse was still going, but he refused to believe me, or even touch you," Fleur murmured as she cast a diagnostic spell over her sister-in-law.

"Victoire's awake!" Ron's voice was heard from downstairs.

"That's..." Ginny, Fleur, and Harry all started.

Ginny called it 'ridiculous', Fleur 'peculiar', and Harry yelled 'weird, Ron, because Gin just woke up as well!'.

"That's ridiculous!" Ron yelled up, and his footfalls were heard gently walking up the stairs.

_Since when was Ron **gentle**?_

Ginny folded her arms and looked smug. She had to, one would suppose, considering she'd chosen the 'best word'.

"Hey, Ron," Ginny waved.

Ron just nodded at her. "Hey, um, I bought Victoire up because.. well, Fleur, you're here, and Dad's comforting Mum 'cause she had a panic attack. I don't think that the baby would do well with those two if I left her down there.."

"Merci," was Fleur's reply. She stood up off of her knees, and walked over to Ron, sweeping her daughter into her arms.

Instantly, Victoire was waving her hands at Ginny, almost falling out of Fleur's arms.

Fleur then, almost like clockwork, moved back to Ginny's bed and passed her only child to her only sister-in-law, summoning a cushion out of thin air and sitting her knees on it. She rested on her knees, wary of what would happen if Ginny's 'symptoms' would come through again.

As she ran through the possible scenarios in her head, she recognised Ginny sounding ridiculous as she cooed to Victoire. As Ginny did so, Harry and Ron starting laughing and Victoire gurgled before the wards of the Burrow started sounding.

* * *

"I should've just come through the Floo.." Hermione laughed nervously, holding her steaming tea to her lips and blowing gently. "I just.. well, the e- _rings_ that we got one another couldn't be faulty, and so I left as soon as I could-"

"Hermione, I'm fine," Ginny convinced her, squishing closer to Fleur so that Hermione could sit on the same sofa.

"Then why are you talking nonsense to Victoire?" Hermione grinned.

"Why aren't you?"

That triggered Ron to snort loudly, his laughter getting mangled through his nose.

Then Harry and Ginny were laughing, because Ron had failed per se at laughing.

Victoire started crying, and Ginny and Fleur went into overly-serious mode, both trying to hush the baby.

Fleur kept on glancing at Ginny, not in an irate or angry way because of the way that Ginny was handling _her_ child, but in an affectionate and weary way for the very same reason.

* * *

At two in the morning, four days later, everyone was still residing in the Burrow, and a few more people had made it their temporary home - George was still on-and-off with his visits, Fleur occasionally left Victoire but for no longer than five hours, Harry's girlfriend had turned up, Luna slept on one of the sofas, and Charlie had taken some time off. Bill and Percy had yet to come back, though they both knew that their baby sister was to die from the owls' returns. Everyone hoped that they'd arrive before she did.

It was at that time that Fleur was to make sure that Ginny wasn't showing any more particularly horrible symptoms in her sleep, as Hermione was still working her night shift.

"Fleur?"

"Hm?" she jumped up from the armchair taken up from downstairs.

"You don't mind me being around Victoire, do you?"

"No, I do not. Why?"

"Hermione told me to stop being so 'friendly with that bloody baby' due to something like emotional clinginess."

"I would much rather let Victoire know you than not. Remember zat you are one of her two aunts, J'eeny," Fleur replied quietly.

"Well, yeah, but I was just..."

"Concerned because of what 'Ermione said; you love one ano'zer, that much is clear, and the rings on your second right fingers aren't just for the emotional connection that they provide, are they?"

Ginny was bright red. "Hermione found it in an old book written in Ancient Runes. Some tradition of a Muggle tribe that their bonding rings give the emotional connection - the fear that Hermione felt from me when I passed out got her here, remember? - and that they are worn where we wear them. It's like an unofficial engagement or wedding ring, but it's blood bonding," she explained in a tone even quieter than Fleur's. "Also, how did you know?"

"That makes sense," Fleur nodded. "At mine and Bill's wedding, my grandmother pointed you two out. She is, after all, a fully blooded Veela."

* * *

"Bill!" Hermione and Fleur both exclaimed, Fleur running up from the porch and hugging her husband particularly tightly. Hermione stood up politely, smiling at him. He caught her glance over Fleur's shoulder.

"You're the last to arrive, Bill," Hermione explained as they walked up the stairs to Ginny's bedroom where all of the Weasleys and their guests were gathered. "But.. well, even George can't make this situation any better."

She hastily opened the door to Ginny's bedroom.

"Hey," both the oldest and youngest children of Molly and Arthur Weasley chimed together.

"Does anyone mind if I make, like, my final request thing?" Ginny asked.

'Go ahead', 'we don't mind', and 'sure' were heard.

"We play one big game of Quidditch. All of us. Well, apart from Victoire, of course, but.."

This time, the reactions were mixed. Molly, Arthur, Charlie, Percy, Hermione and Fleur were all disapproving of the idea, but Harry, his girlfriend, Ron, Bill, George, Luna, and even a now clapping Victoire were all for it.

"Please?"

"Fine," five of the disapproving six relented.

"Ginny, in your state, you could easily fall and die," Percy said.

"It's not like a day makes much of a difference, eh, Perce?" Ginny replied quickly.

* * *

The next day, Hermione stayed with Ginny as she sat quite comfortably on the edge of her bed.

"I love you."

"Mm."

"Ginny?"

"Hm?"

"Who else knows about us?"

"Fleur. Probably Luna, too, knowing her. I also think that Harry has an idea."

"Who do you want to know?"

"Luna, if she doesn't already. Ron, Harry, and George. Bill, Charlie, Mum, and December."

"She has a ridiculous name, doesn't she, Harry's girlfriend?" Hermione offered, clutching Ginny's hand tighter.

"I think it has something to do with that rubbish Trelawney spouted."

"How so?"

"Well, Harry hooks up with this December, and I get told that I'm gonna die in December."

"Oh," Hermione said, looking down.

"Tell anyone you want."

"I will."

"I love you."

"That's the third time you've ever said that to me, Gin."

"You've said it ten times."

"Makes thirteen."

"I love you," they both said quickly, old superstitions kicking in.

"I'm gonna miss you," Hermione sighed.

"Don't do anything stupid, though. Don't go on your life being upset, okay? Also, every time you see Victoire, and any others of Fleur and Bill's kids - if they have any more - tell them that I love them, too."

"I won't. And, I will."

"Good."

"Thank you."

Hermione started crying again, though she had never really stopped, and held on to Ginny tightly. She kissed Ginny once, said that she loved her again, and then lay her down.

"Luna. She's the last one."

"Don't be mean to her," Ginny warned, watching Hermione go to the door.

"For this one, Luna being my closest friend and all, would you mind..?"

"Not at all. Luna!"

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

* * *

Hermione still hadn't told anybody about Ginny and her being an item, not even when she spoke at the funeral. She'd stayed behind and had sat on the floor, leaning against one of the tables, sobbing hysterically.

"Hermione?"

"L- Luna," Hermione said, trying to control her crying.

"Please try not be sour, just that I was the last one to talk to her.."

"I'm not.. I'm just.. disappointed is all."

"Did something happen?"

Hermione nodded.

"W- was it bad?"

"Of course not, Luna," Hermione managed a weak smile, Luna now sitting next to her in the mud.

"So you were bonded by blood, then," Luna observed, her eyes flitting towards the ring.

"Ginny told you?"

"Who else?"

"Well, there's always Fleur.."

* * *

"So, Bill; Victoire, Dominique and Louis? You're sending Louis to Hogwarts like Dom and Vicky, right?" Hermione asked casually as she sipped again from her alcohol.

"Yup," Bill smiled, eminently proud.

"Do you mind if I talk to all three of them now? All three of them together?"

"Sure.."

"Fleur?"

"Go ahead."

".._Merci_," she smiled, trying her hardest not to look sad as she thought of the conversation she was to have with the three.

"So, Louis, _swish and flick_," Hermione heard Dominique say through the door. The two eldest were clearly teaching their brother about First Year at Hogwarts.

"Or the wand movement that saved my life," she said as she walked in.

"Aunt Hermione!" Louis grinned. "Can Uncle Harry and Ron and you do it again?"

_Do what? Oh, that. The re-enactment of when I nearly died-_

"They're not here, Louis; I need to talk to you all about something else."

"Okay," Louis beamed, sitting cross-legged in between his sisters and tilting his head.

Hermione shut the door quietly, and sat a chair next to them all.

"Bill had a sister."

"So.. Uncles Ron, Charlie, Percy, George all did too?"

"And they also had another brother. As you know, Bill's the oldest. Then Charlie, Percy, George and Ron."

"Of course we do!"

"Fred, their other brother, was George's twin. His senior, also."

"What does _that_ mean?" Dominique asked curiously.

"Older than him, Dom.. Ginny, their sister, was the youngest of the seven."

"So, how come we've never seen them?"

"_That's_ why there are two other people in those photos!"

"They're- Victoire, you know that you were named after the victory of the Battle of Hogwarts because of your birthday?"

Victoire nodded.

"Your Uncle Fred died in that battle. He was amazing, and managed to sober Percy up. Before that, your Uncle Percy was a 'frigid git', amongst other things."

Victoire and Louis took the news well, simply nodding, whereas Dominique was tearing up.

"So, Aunt Ginny's dead, as well? In the battle?" Louis asked.

"Not quite. Two years after, in two thousand-"

"When I was born!" Victoire exclaimed.

"In two thousand, she was diagnosed with an uncurable disease. It was the first recorded occurrence in the magic world, and the last in the Muggle."

"So..?"

"She died around Christmas time, which is why nothing is quite as comfortable as it could be. Victoire, you also really liked her. There was some sort of telepathy between you two. Maybe your mother may tell you about it."

"Did Aunt Luna know about her?"

"Yes, yes she did. They were in the same year at Hogwarts, and the closest of friends."

"Is flying hard?"

"Aunt Ginny loves- _loved_ it. She was brilliant, as well. I loathe it; thank God I've only done it three times in my life."

"When were they?"

"My first flying lesson in Hogwarts; because of embarrassing reasons, I didn't do it after that. The second time, in the Battle. The third.. in the last Quidditch match that Aunt Ginny played. Her- her final request 'thing', as she so eloquently put it."

"Oh."

"She also said to me that she loves you, Victoire. And that if Fleur and Bill had any more kids..." Hermione closed her eyes for a moment. "That she loves them, too."

"Tell her that we all love her, too!" Louis exclaimed.

"I'd like to think that she already knows that, Louis."

* * *

**AN: This isn't really angsty, is it..?**


End file.
